English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offices of the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
They are alarmed by the proposals to change the laws and oppose the China-selected panel that will run Hong Kong from July 1.
This body, the Provisional Legislature, will meet for the first time Saturday in the Chinese border town of Shenzhen.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provisional legislatures. We think it is unconstitutional and illegal structures of Hong Kong, and it only create a lot of crisis to the constitutional and legal system. And the rule of law will be adversely affected by such a structure "
SUPERCAPTION: Andrew Cheng, Legislative Councillor.
The protesters plan to camp all night outside Xinhua from where the members of the Provisional Legislature will take a coach to Shenzhen Saturday morning.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/67f9c9acdd7181a6836d6465b6e30fd8
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

The Listening Post - China's propaganda machine in overdrive
As China's ruling Communist Party gears up for its 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping is calling on the country's media to play their part in touting his grand vision for China, and especially an infrastructure venture called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This mammoth infrastructure project along the ancient Silk Route touches on more than 60 countries, involves trillions of dollars of investment and, in the party's view, requires a giant PR effort.
The Communist Party's propaganda department issues daily directives on how the BRI is to be reported. And the state broadcaster CCTV has just premiered the first of a six-part documentary series selling the BRI to the Chinese people.
"Because Xi Jinping has attached his name to it [BRI] very prominently, there's very little space for more critical pieces looking at some of the problematic issues," says BenjaminHaas, Beijing correspondent for The Guardian.
"One of them is the fact that China is going to be building coal-fired power plants in many developing countries, which is obviously not good for the environment. But you never see an article that is just focusing on the negative aspects of this project," Haas says.
The propaganda machine is also trying to shape the conversation on social media. Censors are vetting political jokes and commentary. New laws are restricting who can distribute news, and which VPNs, virtual private networks, can be used to circumvent what has come to be known as the 'great firewall' of China.
"The approaching 19th Congress is probably the most important of its kind since the Cultural Revolution," explains Chang Ping, former news director for Southern Weekend.
"It will determine the future of China's political situation, especially Xi Jinping's personal future and whether he can be re-elected. Control of the media is as strict as ever, but this time it's particularly stringent, on both online and traditional outlets."
The relationship between Chinese media and the Communist Party was forged by Chairman Mao, founder of the Party and the country's leader for nearly three decades.
In 1942, Mao said "the struggle for the liberation of the Chinese people has to be fought on two fronts: the pen and the gun". There have been periods of loosened media restrictions over the past years, but now is definitely not one of those times.
President Xi's ambitions for China have meant the screws have been tightened considerably. Once critical investigative outlets like the Southern Weekend newspaper and the Caijing magazine have been reigned in and a string of journalists have been paraded on CCTV, confessing to crimes.
In 2016, Xi toured the three major state-owned outlets: news agency Xinhua, national newspaper China Daily and Central Chinese Television headquarters. He asked for the media's "absolute loyalty" to the party.
With the political stakes so high for President Xi Jinping, Beijing is building a bigger, better firewall to block dissident content online or in the mainstream news media.
Contributors:
Chang Ping, former news director, Southern Weekend
Steve Tsang, professor, SOASChina Institute
Benjamin Haas, Beijing correspondent, The Guardian
Xiaoling Zhang, Nottingham University
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published:20 Aug 2017

views:35865

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Article, "when assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Leung and Yau of the radical Youngspiration party had altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese term for China.
Displaying a flag reading "Hong Kong is not China," they vowed to defend the "Hong Kong nation."
Leung crossed his fingers while Yau used the F-word in her pledge.
The interpretation is expected to be announced on Monday, after the Standing Committee of the NPC convenes to vote on several laws.
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published:10 Nov 2016

views:155

In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

published:11 Aug 2017

views:528

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
Africanews is a new pan-African media pioneering multilingual and independent news telling expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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published:03 Apr 2016

views:177

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said in a statement.
The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the vehicle rushed onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop at about 10am.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died in hospital.
The crash came just five days after a driver hit a group of schoolchildren crossing the street in Huludao, a city in northeast Liaoning province.
Five children were killed and another 19 were injured after the driver 'chose his victims at random', according to Xinhua, which cited police.
The driver, a 29-year-old unemployed Liaoning resident, was contemplating suicide 'due to quarrels' with his spouse before he drove his car into the children, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities, 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 per cent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Earlier this month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.
Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.
In September, 11 people died and dozens were injured when a car struck a crowd in a public square in the central Hunan province city of Hengdong.
Police detained the driver, a man in his 40s, and described him as a 'vengeful repeat offender' who had daggers in his car and intended to 'cause serious damage'.
In February, a van packed with pressurised gas tanks and petrol-filled bottles caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians in Shanghai, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Authorities concluded that it had been a 'traffic accident'.
#china #car #drives #sidewalk #killingseven

published:27 Nov 2018

views:119

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, is intended to strengthen Japan against the increasing security challenges posed by China's growing military strength and North Korea's ongoing threats.
"Japan's neighbors, including South Korea and China, have had their concerns about the law,... given Japan's history of aggression in the region. And Seoul and Beijing will be keeping a close eye on Tokyo's next move."
"Our government has maintained the position that Japan's security law should be dealt with in a transparent manner and allow Japan to contribute to regional peace and stability. With that in mind, we will be closely observing where Japan's security policy is heading."
In an online commentary, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the new law only endangers the Japanese public's rights to live peacefully and that it poses a severe challenge to the already vulnerable peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Japan, in China's view, has been excessively combative towards Beijing,… so it's no wonder that it's criticizing the law,… and South Korea has concerns that this kind of conflict will negatively affect the stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Within Japan,... opposition parties which attempted to block the legislation last year,... say the law is unconstitutional.
And a public poll conducted by Tokyo-based Kyodo News last weekend found nearly 50 percent of respondents were not in favor of it.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
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published:29 Mar 2016

views:408

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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published:31 Oct 2014

views:234

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was Hong Kong legislator Emily Lau.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Now we are very concerned that when the Chinese Communists take over in July, the people's freedom, like today's freedom to march and all of that, will be at stake, because the Chinese government is very intolerant of dissenting views.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Emily Lau, Hong Kong Legislative Council member
Proposals to repeal or amend the laws were put forward by the Hong Kong Preparatory Committee, which has been set up to manage the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China.
Those against the committee say its members have been hand-picked by Beijing, and that its plans have plunged Britain and China into another dispute over Hong Kong.
The committee's proposals include repealing laws allowing demonstrations to go ahead without notifying the police, and allowing local organisations to have links with their foreign counterparts.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, said one of the reasons for the changes in the law is to prevent overseas political parties using Hong Kong as a base to destabilise China.
China also argues it was Britain which reformed the laws in the first place, without Chinese consent.
Protesters marched to the Xinhua news agency building, Beijing's de facto embassy in Hong Kong, to denounce the proposals which they say will curb freedom in the territory.
A bouquet of flowers was left on the main gate of the Xinhua building to remind Chinese officials that some people in Hong Kong don't want existing laws changed.
To demonstrate his anger, one man burnt the new flag of what will be the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
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Background

In a 2006 interview with Verbicide Magazine, band members were asked if a new remix album would be produced for Demon Days as there was for Gorillaz. They answered that it was a possibility and that might involve the Spacemonkeyz again. In the same interview, they were asked if there might also be another G Sides. Again, their answer was that it might be possible. In January 2007, websites began listing a March release date for a Phase 2 B-sides album. One of the websites, musictap.net, later pushed this back to 3 April. According to Gorillaz-Unofficial, the reaction of official parties behind Gorillaz is that the release date is just a rumour for now. On 29 August, musictap.net reported that the B-side album would be titled D-Sides and would be released on 20 November. On 18 September 2007, the official Gorillaz fansite confirmed the release of the album, as well as unveiling the album artwork and track listing. D-Sides was released on 19 November 2007 in the UK and on 20 November 2007 in the U.S.

Basic law

The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to "constitution", implying it is a temporary but necessary measure without formal enactment of constitution. A basic law is either a codified constitution, or in countries with uncodified constitutions, a law given to have constitution powers and effect. The name is usually used to imply an interim or transitory nature, or avoid attempting a claim to being "the highest law", often for religious reasons. In West Germany the term "Basic Law" (Grundgesetz) was used to indicate that the Basic Law was provisional until the ultimate reunification of Germany. But in 1990 no new constitution was adopted and instead the Basic Law was adopted throughout the entire German territory. Basic law is entrenched in that it overrides ordinary 'statute law' passed by the legislature.

The Basic Law was drafted in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong (The Joint Declaration), signed between the Chinese and British governments on 19 December 1984. The Basic Law stipulates the basic policies of the PRC towards the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As agreed between the PRC and the United Kingdom in the Joint Declaration, in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle, socialism practised in the PRC would not be extended to Hong Kong. Instead, Hong Kong would continue its previous capitalist system and its way of life for a period of 50 years after 1997. A number of freedoms and rights of the Hong Kong residents are also protected under the Basic Law.

The German word Grundgesetz may be translated as either Basic Law or Fundamental Law (Grund is cognate with the English word ground). The term Verfassung (constitution) was not used, as the drafters regarded the Grundgesetz as temporary for the provisional West German state and that a constitution be formally enacted under the provision of Article 146 of the Basic Law for an ultimate reunified Germany.

The authors of the Basic Law sought to ensure that a potential dictator would never again have the chance to come into power in the country. Although some of the Basic Law is based on the Weimar republic constitution, the authors also ensured that human rights and human dignity was made the central and core part of the Basic Law. The principles of democracy, republicanism, social responsibility, and federalism are key components of the Basic Law; these principles are constitutionally entrenched, and they cannot be removed or repealed by the normal amendment process.

HONG KONG: DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE XINHUA OFFICES

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offices of the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
They are alarmed by the proposals to change the laws and oppose the China-selected panel that will run Hong Kong from July 1.
This body, the Provisional Legislature, will meet for the first time Saturday in the Chinese border town of Shenzhen.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provisional legislatures. We think it is unconstitutional and illegal structures of Hong Kong, and it only create a lot of crisis to the constitutional and legal system. And the rule of law will be adversely affected by such a structure "
SUPERCAPTION: Andrew Cheng, Legislative Councillor.
The protesters plan to camp all night outside Xinhua from where the members of the Provisional Legislature will take a coach to Shenzhen Saturday morning.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/67f9c9acdd7181a6836d6465b6e30fd8
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

🇨🇳 China's propaganda machine in overdrive l The Listening Post

The Listening Post - China's propaganda machine in overdrive
As China's ruling Communist Party gears up for its 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping is calling on the country's media to play their part in touting his grand vision for China, and especially an infrastructure venture called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This mammoth infrastructure project along the ancient Silk Route touches on more than 60 countries, involves trillions of dollars of investment and, in the party's view, requires a giant PR effort.
The Communist Party's propaganda department issues daily directives on how the BRI is to be reported. And the state broadcaster CCTV has just premiered the first of a six-part documentary series selling the BRI to the Chinese people.
"Because Xi Jinping has attached his name to it [BRI] very prominently, there's very little space for more critical pieces looking at some of the problematic issues," says BenjaminHaas, Beijing correspondent for The Guardian.
"One of them is the fact that China is going to be building coal-fired power plants in many developing countries, which is obviously not good for the environment. But you never see an article that is just focusing on the negative aspects of this project," Haas says.
The propaganda machine is also trying to shape the conversation on social media. Censors are vetting political jokes and commentary. New laws are restricting who can distribute news, and which VPNs, virtual private networks, can be used to circumvent what has come to be known as the 'great firewall' of China.
"The approaching 19th Congress is probably the most important of its kind since the Cultural Revolution," explains Chang Ping, former news director for Southern Weekend.
"It will determine the future of China's political situation, especially Xi Jinping's personal future and whether he can be re-elected. Control of the media is as strict as ever, but this time it's particularly stringent, on both online and traditional outlets."
The relationship between Chinese media and the Communist Party was forged by Chairman Mao, founder of the Party and the country's leader for nearly three decades.
In 1942, Mao said "the struggle for the liberation of the Chinese people has to be fought on two fronts: the pen and the gun". There have been periods of loosened media restrictions over the past years, but now is definitely not one of those times.
President Xi's ambitions for China have meant the screws have been tightened considerably. Once critical investigative outlets like the Southern Weekend newspaper and the Caijing magazine have been reigned in and a string of journalists have been paraded on CCTV, confessing to crimes.
In 2016, Xi toured the three major state-owned outlets: news agency Xinhua, national newspaper China Daily and Central Chinese Television headquarters. He asked for the media's "absolute loyalty" to the party.
With the political stakes so high for President Xi Jinping, Beijing is building a bigger, better firewall to block dissident content online or in the mainstream news media.
Contributors:
Chang Ping, former news director, Southern Weekend
Steve Tsang, professor, SOASChina Institute
Benjamin Haas, Beijing correspondent, The Guardian
Xiaoling Zhang, Nottingham University
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1:30

China's NPC examines Hong Kong's Basic Law

China's NPC examines Hong Kong's Basic Law

China's NPC examines Hong Kong's Basic Law

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Article, "when assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Leung and Yau of the radical Youngspiration party had altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese term for China.
Displaying a flag reading "Hong Kong is not China," they vowed to defend the "Hong Kong nation."
Leung crossed his fingers while Yau used the F-word in her pledge.
The interpretation is expected to be announced on Monday, after the Standing Committee of the NPC convenes to vote on several laws.
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In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

0:58

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
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0:55

Car drives onto a sidewalk in southwest China, killing seven

Car drives onto a sidewalk in southwest China, killing seven

Car drives onto a sidewalk in southwest China, killing seven

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said in a statement.
The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the vehicle rushed onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop at about 10am.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died in hospital.
The crash came just five days after a driver hit a group of schoolchildren crossing the street in Huludao, a city in northeast Liaoning province.
Five children were killed and another 19 were injured after the driver 'chose his victims at random', according to Xinhua, which cited police.
The driver, a 29-year-old unemployed Liaoning resident, was contemplating suicide 'due to quarrels' with his spouse before he drove his car into the children, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities, 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 per cent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Earlier this month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.
Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.
In September, 11 people died and dozens were injured when a car struck a crowd in a public square in the central Hunan province city of Hengdong.
Police detained the driver, a man in his 40s, and described him as a 'vengeful repeat offender' who had daggers in his car and intended to 'cause serious damage'.
In February, a van packed with pressurised gas tanks and petrol-filled bottles caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians in Shanghai, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Authorities concluded that it had been a 'traffic accident'.
#china #car #drives #sidewalk #killingseven

2:30

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, is intended to strengthen Japan against the increasing security challenges posed by China's growing military strength and North Korea's ongoing threats.
"Japan's neighbors, including South Korea and China, have had their concerns about the law,... given Japan's history of aggression in the region. And Seoul and Beijing will be keeping a close eye on Tokyo's next move."
"Our government has maintained the position that Japan's security law should be dealt with in a transparent manner and allow Japan to contribute to regional peace and stability. With that in mind, we will be closely observing where Japan's security policy is heading."
In an online commentary, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the new law only endangers the Japanese public's rights to live peacefully and that it poses a severe challenge to the already vulnerable peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Japan, in China's view, has been excessively combative towards Beijing,… so it's no wonder that it's criticizing the law,… and South Korea has concerns that this kind of conflict will negatively affect the stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Within Japan,... opposition parties which attempted to block the legislation last year,... say the law is unconstitutional.
And a public poll conducted by Tokyo-based Kyodo News last weekend found nearly 50 percent of respondents were not in favor of it.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
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1:08

“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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2:31

HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was Hong Kong legislator Emily Lau.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Now we are very concerned that when the Chinese Communists take over in July, the people's freedom, like today's freedom to march and all of that, will be at stake, because the Chinese government is very intolerant of dissenting views.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Emily Lau, Hong Kong Legislative Council member
Proposals to repeal or amend the laws were put forward by the Hong Kong Preparatory Committee, which has been set up to manage the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China.
Those against the committee say its members have been hand-picked by Beijing, and that its plans have plunged Britain and China into another dispute over Hong Kong.
The committee's proposals include repealing laws allowing demonstrations to go ahead without notifying the police, and allowing local organisations to have links with their foreign counterparts.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, said one of the reasons for the changes in the law is to prevent overseas political parties using Hong Kong as a base to destabilise China.
China also argues it was Britain which reformed the laws in the first place, without Chinese consent.
Protesters marched to the Xinhua news agency building, Beijing's de facto embassy in Hong Kong, to denounce the proposals which they say will curb freedom in the territory.
A bouquet of flowers was left on the main gate of the Xinhua building to remind Chinese officials that some people in Hong Kong don't want existing laws changed.
To demonstrate his anger, one man burnt the new flag of what will be the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/78dc7a93ea55ed25b5b9e40b62016cc3
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8:06

Hundreds Arrested In China's "War On Pollution"

Hundreds Arrested In China's "War On Pollution"

Hundreds Arrested In China's "War On Pollution"

China has declared a “war on pollution." Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://tytnetwork.com/go
"China detained 720 people and Beijing imposed $21.8 million of fines for violating environmental protection laws in 2016, according to domestic media on Thursday.
China is in the third year of a "war on pollution" aimed at containing the damage done to its air, soil and water after decades of rapid economic growth. Just last week, Beijing faced severe pollution alerts, which forced people to stay indoors.
In 2016, 720 people were detained in China for damaging the environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing information disclosed at a national environmental work conference.
The agency added that Beijing rejected 11 projects worth 97 billion yuan ($14 billion) due to environmental concerns last year.
Meanwhile, Beijing filed 13,127 environmental protection cases last year, with fines totaling $21.8 million, the Shanghai Daily said in a separate report citing local environmental authorities.
For 10,184 cases, fines of 8.7 million yuan were imposed for pollution from mobile emission sources, said the paper.
Of these, more than 10,000 vehicles were punished for excessive exhaust emissions, the paper added.”*
Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-idUSKBN14W07H?utm_source=applenews
Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
***
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China's national legislature will formulate more laws to protect environment, in addition to the Environmental Protection Law, the toughest environment protection law in the country's history ever, said a spokeswoman for the annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday. More Information:
http://newscontent.cctv.com/NewJsp/news.jsp?fileId=285165
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HONG KONG: DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE XINHUA OFFICES

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offi...

China's NPC examines Hong Kong's Basic Law

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Articl...

In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

published: 11 Aug 2017

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
Africanews is a new pan-African media pioneering multilingual and independent news telling expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Subscribe on ourYoutube channel : https://www.youtube.com/c/afric...

published: 03 Apr 2016

Car drives onto a sidewalk in southwest China, killing seven

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said i...

published: 27 Nov 2018

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, ...

published: 29 Mar 2016

“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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published: 31 Oct 2014

HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was...

published: 21 Jul 2015

Hundreds Arrested In China's "War On Pollution"

China has declared a “war on pollution." Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://tytnetwork.com/go
"China detained 720 people and Beijing imposed $21.8 million of fines for violating environmental protection laws in 2016, according to domestic media on Thursday.
China is in the third year of a "war on pollution" aimed at containing the damage done to its air, soil and water after decades of rapid economic growth. Just last week, Beijing faced severe pollution alerts, which forced people to stay indoors.
In 2016, 720 people were detained in China for damaging the environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing information disclosed at a national environmental work conference.
The agency ad...

China's national legislature will formulate more laws to protect environment, in addition to the Environmental Protection Law, the toughest environment protection law in the country's history ever, said a spokeswoman for the annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday. More Information:
http://newscontent.cctv.com/NewJsp/news.jsp?fileId=285165
Subscribe us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmv5DbNpxH8X2eQxJBqEjKQ
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HONG KONG: DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE XINHUA OFFICES

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members o...

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offices of the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
They are alarmed by the proposals to change the laws and oppose the China-selected panel that will run Hong Kong from July 1.
This body, the Provisional Legislature, will meet for the first time Saturday in the Chinese border town of Shenzhen.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provisional legislatures. We think it is unconstitutional and illegal structures of Hong Kong, and it only create a lot of crisis to the constitutional and legal system. And the rule of law will be adversely affected by such a structure "
SUPERCAPTION: Andrew Cheng, Legislative Councillor.
The protesters plan to camp all night outside Xinhua from where the members of the Provisional Legislature will take a coach to Shenzhen Saturday morning.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/67f9c9acdd7181a6836d6465b6e30fd8
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offices of the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
They are alarmed by the proposals to change the laws and oppose the China-selected panel that will run Hong Kong from July 1.
This body, the Provisional Legislature, will meet for the first time Saturday in the Chinese border town of Shenzhen.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provisional legislatures. We think it is unconstitutional and illegal structures of Hong Kong, and it only create a lot of crisis to the constitutional and legal system. And the rule of law will be adversely affected by such a structure "
SUPERCAPTION: Andrew Cheng, Legislative Councillor.
The protesters plan to camp all night outside Xinhua from where the members of the Provisional Legislature will take a coach to Shenzhen Saturday morning.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/67f9c9acdd7181a6836d6465b6e30fd8
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

The Listening Post - China's propaganda machine in overdrive
As China's ruling Communist Party gears up for its 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping is calling on the country's media to play their part in touting his grand vision for China, and especially an infrastructure venture called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This mammoth infrastructure project along the ancient Silk Route touches on more than 60 countries, involves trillions of dollars of investment and, in the party's view, requires a giant PR effort.
The Communist Party's propaganda department issues daily directives on how the BRI is to be reported. And the state broadcaster CCTV has just premiered the first of a six-part documentary series selling the BRI to the Chinese people.
"Because Xi Jinping has attached his name to it [BRI] very prominently, there's very little space for more critical pieces looking at some of the problematic issues," says BenjaminHaas, Beijing correspondent for The Guardian.
"One of them is the fact that China is going to be building coal-fired power plants in many developing countries, which is obviously not good for the environment. But you never see an article that is just focusing on the negative aspects of this project," Haas says.
The propaganda machine is also trying to shape the conversation on social media. Censors are vetting political jokes and commentary. New laws are restricting who can distribute news, and which VPNs, virtual private networks, can be used to circumvent what has come to be known as the 'great firewall' of China.
"The approaching 19th Congress is probably the most important of its kind since the Cultural Revolution," explains Chang Ping, former news director for Southern Weekend.
"It will determine the future of China's political situation, especially Xi Jinping's personal future and whether he can be re-elected. Control of the media is as strict as ever, but this time it's particularly stringent, on both online and traditional outlets."
The relationship between Chinese media and the Communist Party was forged by Chairman Mao, founder of the Party and the country's leader for nearly three decades.
In 1942, Mao said "the struggle for the liberation of the Chinese people has to be fought on two fronts: the pen and the gun". There have been periods of loosened media restrictions over the past years, but now is definitely not one of those times.
President Xi's ambitions for China have meant the screws have been tightened considerably. Once critical investigative outlets like the Southern Weekend newspaper and the Caijing magazine have been reigned in and a string of journalists have been paraded on CCTV, confessing to crimes.
In 2016, Xi toured the three major state-owned outlets: news agency Xinhua, national newspaper China Daily and Central Chinese Television headquarters. He asked for the media's "absolute loyalty" to the party.
With the political stakes so high for President Xi Jinping, Beijing is building a bigger, better firewall to block dissident content online or in the mainstream news media.
Contributors:
Chang Ping, former news director, Southern Weekend
Steve Tsang, professor, SOASChina Institute
Benjamin Haas, Beijing correspondent, The Guardian
Xiaoling Zhang, Nottingham University
- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe
- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

The Listening Post - China's propaganda machine in overdrive
As China's ruling Communist Party gears up for its 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping is calling on the country's media to play their part in touting his grand vision for China, and especially an infrastructure venture called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This mammoth infrastructure project along the ancient Silk Route touches on more than 60 countries, involves trillions of dollars of investment and, in the party's view, requires a giant PR effort.
The Communist Party's propaganda department issues daily directives on how the BRI is to be reported. And the state broadcaster CCTV has just premiered the first of a six-part documentary series selling the BRI to the Chinese people.
"Because Xi Jinping has attached his name to it [BRI] very prominently, there's very little space for more critical pieces looking at some of the problematic issues," says BenjaminHaas, Beijing correspondent for The Guardian.
"One of them is the fact that China is going to be building coal-fired power plants in many developing countries, which is obviously not good for the environment. But you never see an article that is just focusing on the negative aspects of this project," Haas says.
The propaganda machine is also trying to shape the conversation on social media. Censors are vetting political jokes and commentary. New laws are restricting who can distribute news, and which VPNs, virtual private networks, can be used to circumvent what has come to be known as the 'great firewall' of China.
"The approaching 19th Congress is probably the most important of its kind since the Cultural Revolution," explains Chang Ping, former news director for Southern Weekend.
"It will determine the future of China's political situation, especially Xi Jinping's personal future and whether he can be re-elected. Control of the media is as strict as ever, but this time it's particularly stringent, on both online and traditional outlets."
The relationship between Chinese media and the Communist Party was forged by Chairman Mao, founder of the Party and the country's leader for nearly three decades.
In 1942, Mao said "the struggle for the liberation of the Chinese people has to be fought on two fronts: the pen and the gun". There have been periods of loosened media restrictions over the past years, but now is definitely not one of those times.
President Xi's ambitions for China have meant the screws have been tightened considerably. Once critical investigative outlets like the Southern Weekend newspaper and the Caijing magazine have been reigned in and a string of journalists have been paraded on CCTV, confessing to crimes.
In 2016, Xi toured the three major state-owned outlets: news agency Xinhua, national newspaper China Daily and Central Chinese Television headquarters. He asked for the media's "absolute loyalty" to the party.
With the political stakes so high for President Xi Jinping, Beijing is building a bigger, better firewall to block dissident content online or in the mainstream news media.
Contributors:
Chang Ping, former news director, Southern Weekend
Steve Tsang, professor, SOASChina Institute
Benjamin Haas, Beijing correspondent, The Guardian
Xiaoling Zhang, Nottingham University
- Subscribe to our channel: http://aje.io/AJSubscribe
- Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish
- Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera
- Check our website: https://www.aljazeera.com/

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Article, "when assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Leung and Yau of the radical Youngspiration party had altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese term for China.
Displaying a flag reading "Hong Kong is not China," they vowed to defend the "Hong Kong nation."
Leung crossed his fingers while Yau used the F-word in her pledge.
The interpretation is expected to be announced on Monday, after the Standing Committee of the NPC convenes to vote on several laws.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/fb2090759c561067dad5750da3169ef3
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Article, "when assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Leung and Yau of the radical Youngspiration party had altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese term for China.
Displaying a flag reading "Hong Kong is not China," they vowed to defend the "Hong Kong nation."
Leung crossed his fingers while Yau used the F-word in her pledge.
The interpretation is expected to be announced on Monday, after the Standing Committee of the NPC convenes to vote on several laws.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/fb2090759c561067dad5750da3169ef3
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies emp...

In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indige...

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
Africanews is a new pan-African media pioneering multilingual and independent news telling expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Subscribe on ourYoutube channel : https://www.youtube.com/c/africanews
Africanews is available in English and French.
Website : www.africanews.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
Africanews is a new pan-African media pioneering multilingual and independent news telling expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Subscribe on ourYoutube channel : https://www.youtube.com/c/africanews
Africanews is available in English and French.
Website : www.africanews.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said in a statement.
The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the vehicle rushed onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop at about 10am.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died in hospital.
The crash came just five days after a driver hit a group of schoolchildren crossing the street in Huludao, a city in northeast Liaoning province.
Five children were killed and another 19 were injured after the driver 'chose his victims at random', according to Xinhua, which cited police.
The driver, a 29-year-old unemployed Liaoning resident, was contemplating suicide 'due to quarrels' with his spouse before he drove his car into the children, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities, 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 per cent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Earlier this month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.
Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.
In September, 11 people died and dozens were injured when a car struck a crowd in a public square in the central Hunan province city of Hengdong.
Police detained the driver, a man in his 40s, and described him as a 'vengeful repeat offender' who had daggers in his car and intended to 'cause serious damage'.
In February, a van packed with pressurised gas tanks and petrol-filled bottles caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians in Shanghai, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Authorities concluded that it had been a 'traffic accident'.
#china #car #drives #sidewalk #killingseven

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said in a statement.
The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the vehicle rushed onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop at about 10am.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died in hospital.
The crash came just five days after a driver hit a group of schoolchildren crossing the street in Huludao, a city in northeast Liaoning province.
Five children were killed and another 19 were injured after the driver 'chose his victims at random', according to Xinhua, which cited police.
The driver, a 29-year-old unemployed Liaoning resident, was contemplating suicide 'due to quarrels' with his spouse before he drove his car into the children, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities, 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 per cent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Earlier this month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.
Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.
In September, 11 people died and dozens were injured when a car struck a crowd in a public square in the central Hunan province city of Hengdong.
Police detained the driver, a man in his 40s, and described him as a 'vengeful repeat offender' who had daggers in his car and intended to 'cause serious damage'.
In February, a van packed with pressurised gas tanks and petrol-filled bottles caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians in Shanghai, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Authorities concluded that it had been a 'traffic accident'.
#china #car #drives #sidewalk #killingseven

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of...

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, is intended to strengthen Japan against the increasing security challenges posed by China's growing military strength and North Korea's ongoing threats.
"Japan's neighbors, including South Korea and China, have had their concerns about the law,... given Japan's history of aggression in the region. And Seoul and Beijing will be keeping a close eye on Tokyo's next move."
"Our government has maintained the position that Japan's security law should be dealt with in a transparent manner and allow Japan to contribute to regional peace and stability. With that in mind, we will be closely observing where Japan's security policy is heading."
In an online commentary, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the new law only endangers the Japanese public's rights to live peacefully and that it poses a severe challenge to the already vulnerable peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Japan, in China's view, has been excessively combative towards Beijing,… so it's no wonder that it's criticizing the law,… and South Korea has concerns that this kind of conflict will negatively affect the stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Within Japan,... opposition parties which attempted to block the legislation last year,... say the law is unconstitutional.
And a public poll conducted by Tokyo-based Kyodo News last weekend found nearly 50 percent of respondents were not in favor of it.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
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일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, is intended to strengthen Japan against the increasing security challenges posed by China's growing military strength and North Korea's ongoing threats.
"Japan's neighbors, including South Korea and China, have had their concerns about the law,... given Japan's history of aggression in the region. And Seoul and Beijing will be keeping a close eye on Tokyo's next move."
"Our government has maintained the position that Japan's security law should be dealt with in a transparent manner and allow Japan to contribute to regional peace and stability. With that in mind, we will be closely observing where Japan's security policy is heading."
In an online commentary, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the new law only endangers the Japanese public's rights to live peacefully and that it poses a severe challenge to the already vulnerable peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Japan, in China's view, has been excessively combative towards Beijing,… so it's no wonder that it's criticizing the law,… and South Korea has concerns that this kind of conflict will negatively affect the stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Within Japan,... opposition parties which attempted to block the legislation last year,... say the law is unconstitutional.
And a public poll conducted by Tokyo-based Kyodo News last weekend found nearly 50 percent of respondents were not in favor of it.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
Visit ‘Arirang News’ OfficialPagesFacebook(NEWS): http://www.facebook.com/newsarirang
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“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set u...

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territ...

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was Hong Kong legislator Emily Lau.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Now we are very concerned that when the Chinese Communists take over in July, the people's freedom, like today's freedom to march and all of that, will be at stake, because the Chinese government is very intolerant of dissenting views.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Emily Lau, Hong Kong Legislative Council member
Proposals to repeal or amend the laws were put forward by the Hong Kong Preparatory Committee, which has been set up to manage the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China.
Those against the committee say its members have been hand-picked by Beijing, and that its plans have plunged Britain and China into another dispute over Hong Kong.
The committee's proposals include repealing laws allowing demonstrations to go ahead without notifying the police, and allowing local organisations to have links with their foreign counterparts.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, said one of the reasons for the changes in the law is to prevent overseas political parties using Hong Kong as a base to destabilise China.
China also argues it was Britain which reformed the laws in the first place, without Chinese consent.
Protesters marched to the Xinhua news agency building, Beijing's de facto embassy in Hong Kong, to denounce the proposals which they say will curb freedom in the territory.
A bouquet of flowers was left on the main gate of the Xinhua building to remind Chinese officials that some people in Hong Kong don't want existing laws changed.
To demonstrate his anger, one man burnt the new flag of what will be the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/78dc7a93ea55ed25b5b9e40b62016cc3
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English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was Hong Kong legislator Emily Lau.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Now we are very concerned that when the Chinese Communists take over in July, the people's freedom, like today's freedom to march and all of that, will be at stake, because the Chinese government is very intolerant of dissenting views.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Emily Lau, Hong Kong Legislative Council member
Proposals to repeal or amend the laws were put forward by the Hong Kong Preparatory Committee, which has been set up to manage the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China.
Those against the committee say its members have been hand-picked by Beijing, and that its plans have plunged Britain and China into another dispute over Hong Kong.
The committee's proposals include repealing laws allowing demonstrations to go ahead without notifying the police, and allowing local organisations to have links with their foreign counterparts.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, said one of the reasons for the changes in the law is to prevent overseas political parties using Hong Kong as a base to destabilise China.
China also argues it was Britain which reformed the laws in the first place, without Chinese consent.
Protesters marched to the Xinhua news agency building, Beijing's de facto embassy in Hong Kong, to denounce the proposals which they say will curb freedom in the territory.
A bouquet of flowers was left on the main gate of the Xinhua building to remind Chinese officials that some people in Hong Kong don't want existing laws changed.
To demonstrate his anger, one man burnt the new flag of what will be the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/78dc7a93ea55ed25b5b9e40b62016cc3
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

China has declared a “war on pollution." Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://tytnetwork.com/go
"China detained 720 people and Beijing imposed $21.8 million of fines for violating environmental protection laws in 2016, according to domestic media on Thursday.
China is in the third year of a "war on pollution" aimed at containing the damage done to its air, soil and water after decades of rapid economic growth. Just last week, Beijing faced severe pollution alerts, which forced people to stay indoors.
In 2016, 720 people were detained in China for damaging the environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing information disclosed at a national environmental work conference.
The agency added that Beijing rejected 11 projects worth 97 billion yuan ($14 billion) due to environmental concerns last year.
Meanwhile, Beijing filed 13,127 environmental protection cases last year, with fines totaling $21.8 million, the Shanghai Daily said in a separate report citing local environmental authorities.
For 10,184 cases, fines of 8.7 million yuan were imposed for pollution from mobile emission sources, said the paper.
Of these, more than 10,000 vehicles were punished for excessive exhaust emissions, the paper added.”*
Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-idUSKBN14W07H?utm_source=applenews
Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
***
The Largest OnlineNewsShow in the World. Hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. LIVE STREAMING weekdays 6-8pm ET. http://www.tytnetwork.com/live
Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. Young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Download audio and video of the full two hour show on-demand + the members-only post game show by becoming a member at http://www.tytnetwork.com/join/. Your membership supports the day to day operations and is vital for our continued success and growth.
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China has declared a “war on pollution." Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://tytnetwork.com/go
"China detained 720 people and Beijing imposed $21.8 million of fines for violating environmental protection laws in 2016, according to domestic media on Thursday.
China is in the third year of a "war on pollution" aimed at containing the damage done to its air, soil and water after decades of rapid economic growth. Just last week, Beijing faced severe pollution alerts, which forced people to stay indoors.
In 2016, 720 people were detained in China for damaging the environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing information disclosed at a national environmental work conference.
The agency added that Beijing rejected 11 projects worth 97 billion yuan ($14 billion) due to environmental concerns last year.
Meanwhile, Beijing filed 13,127 environmental protection cases last year, with fines totaling $21.8 million, the Shanghai Daily said in a separate report citing local environmental authorities.
For 10,184 cases, fines of 8.7 million yuan were imposed for pollution from mobile emission sources, said the paper.
Of these, more than 10,000 vehicles were punished for excessive exhaust emissions, the paper added.”*
Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-idUSKBN14W07H?utm_source=applenews
Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian
***
The Largest OnlineNewsShow in the World. Hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. LIVE STREAMING weekdays 6-8pm ET. http://www.tytnetwork.com/live
Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. Young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Download audio and video of the full two hour show on-demand + the members-only post game show by becoming a member at http://www.tytnetwork.com/join/. Your membership supports the day to day operations and is vital for our continued success and growth.
Get The Young Turks Mobile AppToday!
Download the iOS version here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-young-turks/id412793195?ls=1&mt=8
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China's national legislature will formulate more laws to protect environment, in addition to the Environmental Protection Law, the toughest environment protection law in the country's history ever, said a spokeswoman for the annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday. More Information:
http://newscontent.cctv.com/NewJsp/news.jsp?fileId=285165
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China's national legislature will formulate more laws to protect environment, in addition to the Environmental Protection Law, the toughest environment protection law in the country's history ever, said a spokeswoman for the annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday. More Information:
http://newscontent.cctv.com/NewJsp/news.jsp?fileId=285165
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HONG KONG: DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE XINHUA OFFICES

English/Nat
The China-backed governing body taking over the running of Hong Kong this summer, will meet for the first time Saturday.
The sixty members of the -- selected rather than elected -- Provisional Legislature will gather in Shenzhen to chose a President.
Protesters are staging all night camp outs on the streets of Hong Kong.
Change is never easy -- and Hong Kong will face its share of problems in the coming months.
The sovereignty of Hong Kong returns to China later this year.
Already a row is raging in the British colony about Beijing's plans to roll back some of its civil liberty laws.
The most sensitive are those governing the freedom to demonstrate.
In protest, these campaigners gathered outside the de facto Chinese embassy in Hong Kong - the offices of the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
They are alarmed by the proposals to change the laws and oppose the China-selected panel that will run Hong Kong from July 1.
This body, the Provisional Legislature, will meet for the first time Saturday in the Chinese border town of Shenzhen.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Provisional legislatures. We think it is unconstitutional and illegal structures of Hong Kong, and it only create a lot of crisis to the constitutional and legal system. And the rule of law will be adversely affected by such a structure "
SUPERCAPTION: Andrew Cheng, Legislative Councillor.
The protesters plan to camp all night outside Xinhua from where the members of the Provisional Legislature will take a coach to Shenzhen Saturday morning.
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🇨🇳 China's propaganda machine in overdrive l The Listening Post

The Listening Post - China's propaganda machine in overdrive
As China's ruling Communist Party gears up for its 19th Congress, President Xi Jinping is calling on the country's media to play their part in touting his grand vision for China, and especially an infrastructure venture called the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This mammoth infrastructure project along the ancient Silk Route touches on more than 60 countries, involves trillions of dollars of investment and, in the party's view, requires a giant PR effort.
The Communist Party's propaganda department issues daily directives on how the BRI is to be reported. And the state broadcaster CCTV has just premiered the first of a six-part documentary series selling the BRI to the Chinese people.
"Because Xi Jinping has attached his name to it [BRI] very prominently, there's very little space for more critical pieces looking at some of the problematic issues," says BenjaminHaas, Beijing correspondent for The Guardian.
"One of them is the fact that China is going to be building coal-fired power plants in many developing countries, which is obviously not good for the environment. But you never see an article that is just focusing on the negative aspects of this project," Haas says.
The propaganda machine is also trying to shape the conversation on social media. Censors are vetting political jokes and commentary. New laws are restricting who can distribute news, and which VPNs, virtual private networks, can be used to circumvent what has come to be known as the 'great firewall' of China.
"The approaching 19th Congress is probably the most important of its kind since the Cultural Revolution," explains Chang Ping, former news director for Southern Weekend.
"It will determine the future of China's political situation, especially Xi Jinping's personal future and whether he can be re-elected. Control of the media is as strict as ever, but this time it's particularly stringent, on both online and traditional outlets."
The relationship between Chinese media and the Communist Party was forged by Chairman Mao, founder of the Party and the country's leader for nearly three decades.
In 1942, Mao said "the struggle for the liberation of the Chinese people has to be fought on two fronts: the pen and the gun". There have been periods of loosened media restrictions over the past years, but now is definitely not one of those times.
President Xi's ambitions for China have meant the screws have been tightened considerably. Once critical investigative outlets like the Southern Weekend newspaper and the Caijing magazine have been reigned in and a string of journalists have been paraded on CCTV, confessing to crimes.
In 2016, Xi toured the three major state-owned outlets: news agency Xinhua, national newspaper China Daily and Central Chinese Television headquarters. He asked for the media's "absolute loyalty" to the party.
With the political stakes so high for President Xi Jinping, Beijing is building a bigger, better firewall to block dissident content online or in the mainstream news media.
Contributors:
Chang Ping, former news director, Southern Weekend
Steve Tsang, professor, SOASChina Institute
Benjamin Haas, Beijing correspondent, The Guardian
Xiaoling Zhang, Nottingham University
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China's NPC examines Hong Kong's Basic Law

(5 Nov 2016) Hong Kong lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-Chu told the media on Saturday that the National People's Congress, or the Chinese parliament, "has the final say" with regards to an upcoming interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
The move follows a provocative display of anti-China sentiment by two lawmakers, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-ching, at their swearing-in ceremony last month.
China's official Xinhua News Agency said senior lawmakers on Friday heard a report on a draft "explanation" of the article on oath-taking and indicated it would be tabled for review during the current session that ends on Monday.
The most recent interpretation of the Basic Law by Beijing happened in 2005.
Tam also mentioned Article 104 of the Basic Law, at the core of the affair.
According to the Article, "when assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."
At the swearing-in ceremony, Leung and Yau of the radical Youngspiration party had altered their oaths to insert a disparaging Japanese term for China.
Displaying a flag reading "Hong Kong is not China," they vowed to defend the "Hong Kong nation."
Leung crossed his fingers while Yau used the F-word in her pledge.
The interpretation is expected to be announced on Monday, after the Standing Committee of the NPC convenes to vote on several laws.
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In an interview with Ilya Shapiro, a U.S. legal expert and also a senior fellow at the U.S.-based think tank Cato Institute, he said that admission policies employed by most U.S. universities have put Asians at a disadvantage because skin color plays a major role.

Zimbabwe: 'Foreign banks wont close over indigenisation laws'

Foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe have submitted credible plans on how they intend to localize their majority shareholding as required by the country's indigenisation law, the country's Finance MinisterPatrick Chinamasa has said.
According to Xinhua, the announcement by Chinamasa allays fears that the country's foreign owned banks could have their licenses cancelled by government following an ultimatum issued by the indigenisation minister recently to all foreign owned firms to submit the…
READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2016/04/03/zimbabwe-foreign-banks-wont-close-over-indigenisation-laws
Africanews is a new pan-African media pioneering multilingual and independent news telling expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Car drives onto a sidewalk in southwest China, killing seven

A car drove onto a sidewalk in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province in southwest China, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said. Dramatic footage shows the damaged car and a body laying next to the...
Seven dead and four injured after car ploughed into pedestrians on the pavement in China
A car drove onto a sidewalk and hit a bus stop this morning in Leshan, SichuanDriver has been detained and the cause of the accident is under investigation
Comes days after a driver rammed into schoolchildren in the country's northeast
A car drove onto a pavement in south-west China today, killing seven people and injuring another four, police said.
The driver has been detained and the cause of the incident in Leshan, a city in Sichuan province, is under investigation, police said in a statement.
The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment, the statement added.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the vehicle rushed onto the sidewalk and hit a bus stop at about 10am.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and two others died in hospital.
The crash came just five days after a driver hit a group of schoolchildren crossing the street in Huludao, a city in northeast Liaoning province.
Five children were killed and another 19 were injured after the driver 'chose his victims at random', according to Xinhua, which cited police.
The driver, a 29-year-old unemployed Liaoning resident, was contemplating suicide 'due to quarrels' with his spouse before he drove his car into the children, Xinhua reported on Friday.
Deadly road accidents are common in China, where traffic regulations are often flouted or go unenforced.
According to authorities, 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.
Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 per cent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.
Earlier this month, at least 13 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in Chongqing municipality, after the driver got into a fist fight with a passenger who had missed her bus stop.
Search and rescue teams dispatched more than 70 boats, as well as a team of scuba divers and underwater robots, to find the wreckage and retrieve bodies from the water.
In September, 11 people died and dozens were injured when a car struck a crowd in a public square in the central Hunan province city of Hengdong.
Police detained the driver, a man in his 40s, and described him as a 'vengeful repeat offender' who had daggers in his car and intended to 'cause serious damage'.
In February, a van packed with pressurised gas tanks and petrol-filled bottles caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians in Shanghai, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Authorities concluded that it had been a 'traffic accident'.
#china #car #drives #sidewalk #killingseven

Japan's controversial self-defense law takes effect

일본 집단자위권 오늘 발효, 전쟁가능한 나라로... 중국 우려 표명
Japan has enacted controversial laws allowing Japanese troops to fight on foreign soil for the first time since the end of World War II.
The new security laws, passed last September after chaotic scenes in the Japanese parliament, reinterpret the country's pacifist constitution to enable Japan to exercise collective self-defense - or coming to the aid of the U.S. and other allies - in overseas conflicts.
Kwon Soa reports.
For the first time in more than seven decades,... Japanese troops will be permitted to fight in overseas conflicts.
The new security law,... which was passed in September and took effect Tuesday, loosens post-World War II constraints on Japan's use of force... allowing it to use its military for the country's self-defense.
The law, backed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition, is intended to strengthen Japan against the increasing security challenges posed by China's growing military strength and North Korea's ongoing threats.
"Japan's neighbors, including South Korea and China, have had their concerns about the law,... given Japan's history of aggression in the region. And Seoul and Beijing will be keeping a close eye on Tokyo's next move."
"Our government has maintained the position that Japan's security law should be dealt with in a transparent manner and allow Japan to contribute to regional peace and stability. With that in mind, we will be closely observing where Japan's security policy is heading."
In an online commentary, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the new law only endangers the Japanese public's rights to live peacefully and that it poses a severe challenge to the already vulnerable peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
"Japan, in China's view, has been excessively combative towards Beijing,… so it's no wonder that it's criticizing the law,… and South Korea has concerns that this kind of conflict will negatively affect the stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Within Japan,... opposition parties which attempted to block the legislation last year,... say the law is unconstitutional.
And a public poll conducted by Tokyo-based Kyodo News last weekend found nearly 50 percent of respondents were not in favor of it.
Kwon Soa, Arirang News.
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“Serious and complex”: China’s new anti-terror law

Top lawmakers are meeting on Friday for a first reading of China’s draft counter-terrorism laws during their bi-monthly session, including the proposal to set up an anti-terrorism “intelligence gathering center”.
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HONG KONG: PROTESTS AGAINST PLANS TO AMEND HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS

English/Nat
Plans to repeal or amend a number of human rights laws in Hong Kong when it reverts to Chinese rule have caused widespread protests in the territory.
The Beijing-backed preparatory committee has said 16 laws will need to be repealed and nine others amended when Britain returns Hong Kong to China on July 1st this year.
Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Hong Kong Sunday.
Joined by a number of Hong Kong legislative councillors, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the territory.
They were voicing their opposition to Chinese-backed plans to repeal or amend some of Hong Kong's laws relating to human rights.
The protesters chanted \"Let's get together Hong Kong people. We oppose the repealing of the laws\".
Among the demonstrators was Hong Kong legislator Emily Lau.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
\"Now we are very concerned that when the Chinese Communists take over in July, the people's freedom, like today's freedom to march and all of that, will be at stake, because the Chinese government is very intolerant of dissenting views.\"
SUPERCAPTION: Emily Lau, Hong Kong Legislative Council member
Proposals to repeal or amend the laws were put forward by the Hong Kong Preparatory Committee, which has been set up to manage the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China.
Those against the committee say its members have been hand-picked by Beijing, and that its plans have plunged Britain and China into another dispute over Hong Kong.
The committee's proposals include repealing laws allowing demonstrations to go ahead without notifying the police, and allowing local organisations to have links with their foreign counterparts.
Hong Kong's Chief Executive designate, Tung Chee-hwa, said one of the reasons for the changes in the law is to prevent overseas political parties using Hong Kong as a base to destabilise China.
China also argues it was Britain which reformed the laws in the first place, without Chinese consent.
Protesters marched to the Xinhua news agency building, Beijing's de facto embassy in Hong Kong, to denounce the proposals which they say will curb freedom in the territory.
A bouquet of flowers was left on the main gate of the Xinhua building to remind Chinese officials that some people in Hong Kong don't want existing laws changed.
To demonstrate his anger, one man burnt the new flag of what will be the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.
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Hundreds Arrested In China's "War On Pollution"

China has declared a “war on pollution." Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://tytnetwork.com/go
"China detained 720 people and Beijing imposed $21.8 million of fines for violating environmental protection laws in 2016, according to domestic media on Thursday.
China is in the third year of a "war on pollution" aimed at containing the damage done to its air, soil and water after decades of rapid economic growth. Just last week, Beijing faced severe pollution alerts, which forced people to stay indoors.
In 2016, 720 people were detained in China for damaging the environment, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing information disclosed at a national environmental work conference.
The agency added that Beijing rejected 11 projects worth 97 billion yuan ($14 billion) due to environmental concerns last year.
Meanwhile, Beijing filed 13,127 environmental protection cases last year, with fines totaling $21.8 million, the Shanghai Daily said in a separate report citing local environmental authorities.
For 10,184 cases, fines of 8.7 million yuan were imposed for pollution from mobile emission sources, said the paper.
Of these, more than 10,000 vehicles were punished for excessive exhaust emissions, the paper added.”*
Read more here: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution-idUSKBN14W07H?utm_source=applenews
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China's national legislature will formulate more laws to protect environment, in addition to the Environmental Protection Law, the toughest environment protection law in the country's history ever, said a spokeswoman for the annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) on Wednesday. More Information:
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Latest News for: xinhua laws

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